Introduction to Stick & Staff Making

Description

By the end of the day, each participant will have made a stick or staff of their choosing and have the basic skills to continue making sticks/staffs on their own and develop their skills. During the session, participants will have learned the basic skills required for making sticks and staffs. This will include: - Safe use and care of sharp tools and other equipment needed. - Foraging for suitable sticks and other pieces for making a walking stick and/or staff; including legal & environmental considerations. - Methods to straighten a foraged stick for making a walking stick if this is needed or desired. - Removing bark if required or preparing a bark surface if being left on. - Reducing the diameter and shaping of a stick as necessary. - Mounting a handle or other topper/decoration by drilling out the two pieces and inserting a joining rod, and securing with adhesive. - Fitting a collar to a joint where required for aesthetics, and trimming the joint to size. - Tapering the end of a shaft and fitting a ferrule. - Smoothing the stick and applying decoration by carving, pyrography, painting, etc. - Fitting a wrist loop if required. - Finishing using oil and/or wax products. - Understanding the need for ongoing care and maintenance of a finished stick. Our course leader is Colin also known as “Woody”. He has been working with wood for around 60 years, since first starting at the age of 10 doing small projects in his father’s shed. His main work is carving and making other items including sticks and staffs. Woody has been a volunteer member of the Stanwick Lakes team for over 12 years, with the Conservation group, involved with the maintenance of the site; and with the Heritage group, which has built the Iron Age Roundhouses and the Bronze Age boats. Currently, he is building a traditional Hazel & Willow fence around the Bronze Age Barrow. He is a member of the British Stick makers Guild, and is looking forward to working with participants on the workshops to help them learn the skills to make their own sticks and staffs, etc.

What's included in the price?

All materials and tools will be provided.

Cancellation policy

Medium - Cancellation and a full refund can be obtained up to 4 weeks before the course starts

Maker

Stanwick Lakes Art and Craft Courses

with Craft Courses since 2016

Message the tutor

At Stanwick Lakes, we offer a range of Arts & Crafts and Heritage Courses, from watercolour painting classes to blacksmithing and wood-carving workshops. Alongside offering craft courses, Stanwick Lakes is a unique 750 acre nature reserve and countryside attraction located in the heart of Northamptonshire’s Nene Valley.